2018 Belgian Grand Prix – Race

SEBASTIAN VETTEL WINS FOR FERRARI USING A ONE-STOP SUPERSOFT-SOFT STRATEGY FROM SECOND ON THE GRID

ONE STOP FOR THE MAJORITY OF DRIVERS, BUT SOME DIFFERENT STRATEGIC APPROACHES ALSO SEEN AT SPA

AN EARLY SAFETY CAR, FOLLOWING FIRST CORNER ACCIDENT, EXTENDS OPENING STINTS

Spa-Francorchamps, August 26, 2018 – Sebastian Vettel won for Ferrari on a one-stop supersoft-soft strategy at Spa: the same strategy that was used by all the podium finishers. This strategy was actually adopted by most of the frontrunners, with the notable exception of Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, who finished fourth with a two-stop strategy after starting at the back. Bottas also set the fastest lap of the race on the soft tyre, beating last year’s fastest race lap that was set on the ultrasoft. The Mercedes driver finished ahead of both Force India cars: a very encouraging result for the rebranded team after its recent issues.

Renault driver Carlos Sainz, McLaren’s Stoffel Vandoorne and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen were the only drivers to use the medium tyre during the race, which was affected by an early safety car following a first-corner collision. After rain yesterday, conditions remained dry for the race, with ambient temperatures in the region of 19 degrees centigrade.

MARIO ISOLA - HEAD OF CAR RACING

“The tyres stood up very well to the very intense demands of Spa. The early safety car had the effect of extending the opening stint, with the majority of drivers managing their pace sufficiently to comfortably ensure a one-stopper. A different approach was taken by Valtteri Bottas, who managed to finish in the top four from the back after stopping twice, with a long middle stint on the supersoft. Now we head for our home race at Monza next weekend, where we will have the same tyre nomination.”

BEST TIME BY COMPOUND

LONGEST STINT OF THE RACE

TRUTHOMETER

Sebastian Vettel won the race using one stop as expected, switching his supersofts for softs on lap 22: one lap after Lewis Hamilton, who was second for Mercedes.

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